It's nuts racetams are so difficult to get - around 2016-18ish (late 2010s, anyway) I was taking racetams and there were a couple of legit places to buy that were great. Checked on them a couple years ago and saw that all the racetams were gone from those places. Shame, bc they really helped toward saving and repairing me. I've seen the place mentioned above as a source also mentioned elsewhere, but I don't take the stuff anymore so can't comment on it in particular.
Anyway - I preferred oxiracetam most, distantly followed by the phenyl. Ani did nothing for me, and I didn't like the basic piracetam, either. I was stacking with other nootropics/ aminos, and a lot of "natural nootropics" as well. Not sure I'd put one set over the other, and I had a very elaborate routine where they all worked together well.
This is all fascinating to me. I'm reaching the end of my rope in regards to mental health, cognitive function, and general mood instability.
I'm not unique. It seems like most of my demographic (at least in the west) is partly handicapped by some sort of psychological/emotional impairment. We're becoming dependent on antidepressants and antipsychotics that are under researched and inherently dangerous.
I don't want to hop back on the psych-med carousel. I've tried the $60+ bottles of cognitive health supplements before from and didn't notice a difference. Ashwagandha left a stabbing pain in my gut.
Idr potential side effects for ash, but with any supplement (manufactured or natural), do research, find quality makers, and take as directed/as your research indicates. There may be some things you just don't tolerate well at all. But usually with any supplement you want to start with less and build up to recommended dose
or take less than the "recommended" dose - I recently found out the hard way that my max tolerance for the current supplement it-girl (turmeric) is about half of what the bottle says is a dose.
And what works can change over time as well.
I've found that buying individual things rather than combo mega-pills, at least while figuring out what works/doesn't, is helpful to isolate what you really respond/don't respond to.
This is the first time I'm hearing about Phenylpiracetam though. If it truly can provide these benefits without causing long-term issues then it might as well be a miracle drug, which is probably why it hasn't been approved by the FDA.
There's no miracle drug or one size fits all, and if you're looking for that, you'll be disappointed at best.
I've been able to drop all or most of these things (both noo and rx, which I did also use for a time, when it made sense) because I've developed/ rediscovered my own internal momentum and regained my brain power. But each of the things has played a part in getting here - along with a lot of grit and willpower and motivation - which the various supplements have helped to bump up, which has led to some objective successes, which reinforces the positive momentum, etc.
My point is, none of this is stuff to do lightly, and it's important to pay attention, keep track of how your body and mind feel starting, being on, or stopping any substance or supplement. And stop anything that isn't helping, stops helping, or hurts. Your wallet, at least, will thank you.
The other thing: enhancers (whether of cognitive facility or mood or whatever) can help get you to a point that you are more functional and
able to operate better in the world. But you actually have to go operate in the world once you're able. If depression is on the table, you can elevate your mood all you want but if you're not actually doing things to build on that, you won't likely get too far in improvement. These things are tools - they can help you have the ability to face or do things - but you still have to go do the things.
Tl;dr: be realistic, be smart, be selective, pay attention, and remember you still have to put in effort.
